


Hate is a Boomerang

by CydSA



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-30
Updated: 2010-05-30
Packaged: 2017-10-09 19:22:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/90688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CydSA/pseuds/CydSA
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The end comes with a bang not with a whimper</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hate is a Boomerang

Kris can't bring himself to look at Katy as he spoke, "Yeah, we've moved back to Arkansas, to be closer to friends and family. LA just doesn't feel like home, you know?" He smiled at Michael Slezak and then turned at the muffled sound, small and broken, behind him.

Adam was staring at him, eyes wide and blue and hurt. God, an infinite amount of damage. He took a step towards Adam but was stopped by a tiny hand on his arm. He swung back to look at Katy and he saw the satisfied malice in her eyes.

"We're still in the designing stages of our home," she told Slezak smoothly and when Kris looked around for Adam again, he was gone.

Kris hated Katy at that moment. Really, passionately hated her, and what he felt must have shown on his face because she stepped back, eyes wide and Gina stepped in.

"I think we're done for tonight," she said grimly and took Kris' other arm. He looked down at her hand and then back up at her.

"You're fired," he told her simply and walked away.

He looked everywhere for Adam, Simon's unofficial farewell party was a 'Who's Who' of American Idol. He weaved his way past Kelly Clarkson chatting with Carrie Underwood and he shook hands with Blake Lewis and Brooke White. But Adam was nowhere.

He eventually spotted Allison and asked her, "Have you seen Adam?"

Her usually sparkling eyes were narrowed and she looked a little mean. "When were you planning on telling us?" she asked instead.

"Telling you what?" Kris asked, eyes scanning the room.

"That you were leaving LA for Arkansas permanently," Alli said.

Kris stared at her. "I'm not!" He scowled. "Katy is."

"You told Michael Slezak…" Alli said doubtfully.

Kris sighed in frustration. "What the hell was I supposed to say, Alli-cat? That I've moved my wife back to Arkansas so that she can be with her family when we finalise our divorce?" His voice had risen and the last bit was shouted.

The room had gone quiet. "Fuck," he whispered. Months of PR and he'd blown it in a heartbeat.

"Nice one, Kristopher," he heard Katy say behind him and he whirled to look at her.

"Don't you go blaming this all on me!" he yelled, months of frustration and unhappiness bubbling up and over. "You pushed and you pushed and you pushed and look what's happened!"

Gina came up next to Katy and put a hand on her shoulder. "You should shut up now, Kris," she said warningly.

He was so far beyond caring as he pointed a finger at her. "And as for you, you useless excuse for a PR manager! I would rather be singing on a street corner with my hat on the ground begging for pennies than spend one more moment as your client."

He glared at them both, heartsick and hurting. "Between the two of you I've been pulled and moulded and prodded into a persona that is not me and I am sick of all the lies! I feel like a rubber ball being bounced between the two of you constantly."

The words were a torrent, months of anger and bile rising up and then he felt a hand between his shoulder blades. "Kris."

He knew the touch before he heard the voice and he just hurled himself into Adam's arms. "I'm so sorry," he mumbled into Adam's chest.

The arms that gathered him up and tightened around him gave him strength and Adam whispered, "Its okay, baby."

And somehow, Kris thought that it just might be.

"This is all your fault, you know," Katy hissed at Adam. "He was happy before he met you."

Kris pulled away from Adam and looked at her. The girl he'd loved once wasn't there in the spiteful face. The blond homecoming queen was invisible in the thinned mouth. His best friend was gone from the spitting eyes. She hated him, hated Adam and he just felt sad.

"If you want to blame someone, blame me," he told her.

Her gaze was scornful as she rounded on him. "Oh, don't worry, I blame you too," she spat, "I told your mama to send you to that Outreach camp, but she said that you were just the affectionate type."

"Don't you talk about my mama," Kris warned her. She was entitled to be mad at him, but his family was off limits.

Gina spoke quietly, "Can we take this somewhere more private?"

Kris looked at her, saw her pale face and felt a moment's pity. Then he remembered all the times she'd told him to do stuff that made him look like an asshole. Like ignoring Adam on Twitter and not going to his birthday and…

"I'm done," he announced and asked Adam, "Can we talk?"

He saw that gorgeous face soften and then smooth out, blank and impervious. "Not tonight," Adam shook his head, "I think the gossip you've given the media is more than enough. If you and I leave together, the world might explode."

Kris snorted. "I don't care," he muttered.

"I do," Adam said quietly. He clasped Kris' shoulder. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

Kris nodded mutely and watched him walk away.

"Kris," he heard Gina's cautious voice behind him, "I'm sorry about all this. I just didn't think…" she trailed off and went even paler as she got a look at his miserable face. "Come on; let's get you out of here." Her grasp on his arm this time was tentative, almost caring, but Kris was numb.

He brushed past Katy and headed for the doors. He heard Gina say something to Katy and knew they were following him but he didn't care. Not anymore.

The drive back to the hotel where Katy was staying was silent. Kris pressed himself into a corner and ignored the two women. When they stopped, Katy climbed out and looked back in.

"I'm sorry for the scene," she said, but her eyes were hard, "maybe I'll get a little sympathy now. It's not easy being the wife of the American Idol." He could feel her anger like a tangible thing.

Kris raised his eyes to her and said, "Goodbye, Katy," quiet and final.

Her mouth thinned and she looked at Gina. "Are you coming up?' Kris wondered why it had taken him so long to realise that his agent and his wife had been working together to sabotage his career. But like most things, what you dish out, comes back at you, and this was payback time.

"I'm going to go with Kris, I'll talk to you tomorrow," Gina told her, sounding apologetic.

"I don't want to talk to you," Kris said as the door closed.

Gina shrugged. "That's okay, I need to say something." The car pulled away and she leaned back into the shadows. "I've been a pretty shitty PR agent, haven't I?" she asked.

"I won't be buying you flowers on International PR Day," Kris informed her drolly.

She gave a startled laugh. "God, I really fucked up with you," she sighed. "It's just when I was asked to be your agent, I felt like I'd been given the goose that laid golden eggs. I mean, you're gorgeous, married to a pretty girl, with an incredible future ahead of you." Her sigh was even louder. "Considering where I've come from, you and Katy were a gift."

"You were supposed to be _my_ agent," Kris told her mildly.

"I know," she groaned, "I failed so badly, but you and Katy were supposed to be a package deal and almost from the moment I saw you with Adam, I knew that a shitstorm was lying ahead."

Kris stared at her. "What?" he asked confused.

Gina's laugh was mirthless. "As soon as I saw you and Adam in a room together I saw more chemistry than with you and Katy," she explained. "I knew that the perfect image of the happily married American Idol was going to be tarnished. So I did what I could to delay the inevitable."

"By forcing me to be someone I wasn't?" Kris enquired.

She sounded shaky, "I didn't realise that I was causing more damage. I just couldn't bear the thought of the scandal happening on my watch, again." Her voice trailed off and then she said quietly, "I'll make sure that your new handler is invested in you as an artist, okay?"

"Thanks," Kris said and the rest of the drive was silent.

He climbed the stairs to his apartment and stopped when he saw Adam sitting in front of his door. "Adam?"

He was pinned by dark blue eyes and Adam asked, "What took you so long?"

Kris stuttered, "Um, we had to drop Katy off at her hotel first…"

Adam stood up and leaned back against the door. "No, you ass, what _took_ you so long?"

Kris caught the meaning and grinned. "I'm an idiot?" he suggested.

Adam nodded. "That you are," he affirmed and moved aside from the door so that Kris could let them in.

He followed Kris to the kitchen.

Kris could feel those eyes on him, intent and intense as he poured water in the kettle and flipped it on. "Tea?" he asked and Adam beamed.

"Of course!" he smiled, "my voice is still a little scratchy from the laryngitis." They leaned against counters on opposite ends of the kitchen, just looking at one another.

"So…" Kris started and the kettle whistled. He busied himself with plopping teabags in mugs and filling them with boiling water.

He handed one to Adam. "So…." Adam repeated. "When were you planning on telling me about the divorce?"

Kris felt his shoulders droop. "I guess never?" He caught Adam's irritated gaze and huffed, "What? I didn't want to tell my best friend that I was a failure in my marriage as well as in my career!"

Adam stared at him. "What the fuck?" he breathed and Kris slumped against the counter. "Really, Kris, what the actual fuck?"

Kris scowled into his tea; sure he'd find the answers there somehow. "God, Adam, I'm so confused." He put his mug down and walked into the living room. Adam followed him silently and then tugged him down next to him on the sofa.

"Talk to me," he urged and Kris dropped his head to that warm, broad shoulder.

"I'm having some confidence issues," Kris admitted.

Adam wrapped an arm around him. "If it's about your career, shut up, right this minute," Adam told him sternly. "You are the third best selling artist for your label this year and you're only going to get better."

Kris smiled into Adam's shirt. Adam pep talks were the best.

"If it's about your marriage, then baby, really, it takes two to tango and your Katy has been an utter bitch for the better part of a year." Adam's voice was low and venomous.

Kris grinned harder. He felt like a maiden having a knight slay all her dragons.

"If it's about me, well, allow me to allay all your fears. I love and adore you and am perfectly happy to be your friend forever. I don't care about the Kradam gossip, I don't care about the gay shit, and I care about you. Okay?" Adam tipped Kris' chin up with one black-tipped finger. "Okay?" he repeated.

"Okay," Kris said, eyes dancing. "You're a pushy bitch," he told him.

"Don't you forget it," Adam told him and snapped his fingers.

"I won't," Kris assured him softly. He snuffled a little against Adam's neck and then asked, "Should I keep Gina?"

"Fuck no!" Adam exclaimed. "Bitch tried to derail your career."

Kris snorted a chuckle. Adam was completely biased. He loved that about him. In fact, Kris loved pretty much everything about Adam. "My hero," he murmured.

"Always, and your biggest fan," Adam told him gently.

Kris yawned. "You might have to fight Mama for that title," he told him sleepily.

"I'd lose, Kim is scary when it comes to you," Adam mourned and kissed his forehead. "You should go to bed, baby. It's been a hell of an evening."

"Stay here?" Kris begged and he saw the indecision in Adam's eyes. "Please?"

He also saw the second Adam' caved. "Fine, but no cuddling." The stern warning was belied by the twinkle in his eyes.

"Hey!" Kris protested. "You were always the cuddle-r; I was the cuddle-e!"

Adam looked down at him loftily. "You don't know what you're talking about," he told him as they walked to Kris' bedroom.

"You know you're totally the girl in this relationship, right?" Kris asked conversationally as he toed off his shoes and shucked his shirt and jeans. He clambered into the bed in a t-shirt and his boxers.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Kristopher," Adam said as he followed suit.

Kris turned on his side and Adam spooned in behind him, wrapped his arm around his waist. "Cuddle-r," he teased.

"You love it," Adam told him, nose pressed against the back of Kris' neck.

"Yeah," Kris whispered, "I really do."


End file.
